Buses schedule Pamplona to SJPDP in December

[Junethepilgrim]

Hi. I'm looking for way to go from Pamplona to Saint Jean in 30 or 31th day in December 2022. I checked Alsa homepage but It seems to be no buses to Saint Jean(or it could be homepage error.. ). I heard theres regular buses to Saint Jean... Anyone knows that bus is still available?

 

[J Willhaus]

There is usually a bus, but I don't see any tickets available for those dates. Possibly they are full or not running due to holidays. You may need to take a taxi or if you doing the Camino you could consider starting in Pamplona.

 

[SabsP]

Hi. I'm looking for way to go from Pamplona to Saint Jean in 30 or 31th day in December 2022. I checked Alsa homepage but It seems to be no buses to Saint Jean(or it could be homepage error.. ). I heard theres regular buses to Saint Jean... Anyone knows that bus is still available?

Probably you will already know that the Napoleon pass is closed and you will have to walk via Valcarlos but it always is a good reminder for those who embark in this time of the year from Saint Jean Pied de Port.

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port - Roncesvalles (por Valcarlos) | Camino Francés | Gronze.com

Variante obligatoria en invierno, por el valle de Valcarlos, siempre cerca de la nacional y a menor altitud que la Ruta de Napoleón. En caso de nieve o de malas condiciones meteorológicas, y también en caso de dudas sobre la propia condición física, es, sin duda, la opción más sensata, aunque su...

www.gronze.com

 

[Camino Chrissy]

On my arrival in Pamplona in mid April 2015 the buses were not running yet from there to SJPdP for the spring season. Another time in April they were minimally operating, but the times did not coordinate well for us, so we arranged taxi service.

I see the OP had asked specifically about December, but obviously even trickling into spring the routes are still nil early on or have significantly reduced service.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Even in the recent past when ALSA/CONDA had more buses running they did not provide service between Pamplona and SJPdP in December, January and February.

Edit: I got the following from an older post of mine. I'm going to post it to this thread again so people who have read this post already will also see it.

Roughly the ALSA/CONDA schedule for the pre-covid years has been:

Jan No service
Feb No service
Mar 14:30
Apr 14:30 17:30
May 14:30 17:30
Jun 10:00 14:30 17:30
Jul 10:00 12:00 14:30 17:30
Aug 10:00 12:00 14:30 17:30
Sep 10:00 14:30 17:30
Oct 14:30 17:30
Nov No service
Dec No service

Lately the service has been starting later in the year and ending sooner than it has been. Also the number of buses run per day has been less.

 

[Kathor1]

There is usually a bus, but I don't see any tickets available for those dates. Possibly they are full or not running due to holidays. You may need to take a taxi or if you doing the Camino you could consider starting in Pamplona.

That is not the reason why there are no tickets available for December 30 and 31. The ALSA bus service between Pamplona and Saint Jean Pied de Port ended on October 12 this year - see this post: "I have just had it confirmed from Alsa". It will start again in spring 2023.

This year they published their schedule in March and the service started on April 1 - see this post: "The Spanish bus company Alsa has just posted its schedule". It will presumably be the same next year.

See also the relevant subforum for more up to date information and tips about transport between Pamplona and Roncesvalles or SJPP: Topics Related to all Routes - Traveling & Transport to/from/along the camino.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

This year they published their schedule in March and service started on April 1. It will presumably be the same next year.

Starting service on April 1st does not necessarily mean it will be running a full schedule that early. It wasn't my experience in mid-April 2015/2017 when I had to default to using taxis. The service definitely increases as the pilgrim season gets busier.

 

[Kathor1]

Starting service on April 1st does not necessarily mean it will be running a full schedule that early. It wasn't my experience in mid-April 2015/2017 when I had to default to using taxis. The service definitely increases as the pilgrim season gets busier.

Unfortunately, that was not the case in 2022. ALSA offered a single daily connection for Pamplona to SJPP throughout the pilgrimage season from April to October, leaving daily at noon and arriving at 1:45 pm in SJPP IIRC.

Anyway, I mentioned this year's publication date (middle of March for schedule from April 1) because there are likely to be more questions in the coming weeks about buses from Pamplona to SJPP in January, February and March 2023 so that people are aware of the fact that they may have to be patient before they know departure times and ticket prices for their upcoming Camino.

 

[naplesdon]

Hi. I'm looking for way to go from Pamplona to Saint Jean in 30 or 31th day in December 2022. I checked Alsa homepage but It seems to be no buses to Saint Jean(or it could be homepage error.. ). I heard theres regular buses to Saint Jean... Anyone knows that bus is still available?

Start from Pamplona.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Many of us pilgrims flying internationally from the US arrive in Madrid in the mid morning. It is difficult to take a bus from the airport or the train out of Atocha station and arrive in Pamplona in time to catch the only bus option at Noon.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Start from Pamplona.

That's true..."you don't miss what you don't know".

 

[Tincatinker]

I think the idea is that you spend an enjoyable evening in Pamplona and have sufficiently recovered by noon the following day to enjoy the bus ride

Many of us pilgrims flying internationally from the US arrive in Madrid in the mid morning. It is difficult to take a bus from the airport or the train out of Atocha station and arrive in Pamplona in time to catch the only bus option at Noon.

 

[frank john]

That is not the reason why there are no tickets available for December 30 and 31. The ALSA bus service between Pamplona and Saint Jean Pied de Port ended on October 12 this year - see this post: "I have just had it confirmed from Alsa". It will start again in spring 2023.

This year they published their schedule in March and the service started on April 1 - see this post: "The Spanish bus company Alsa has just posted its schedule". It will presumably be the same next year.

See also the relevant subforum for more up to date information and tips about transport between Pamplona and Roncesvalles or SJPP: Topics Related to all Routes - Traveling & Transport to/from/along the camino.

Im planning on a Camino next October and was told there is no bus service after mid October from Pamplona to SJPP. This is every year. I plan on getting and possibly sharing a taxi from Pamplona.

 

[Monasp]

Hi. I'm looking for way to go from Pamplona to Saint Jean in 30 or 31th day in December 2022. I checked Alsa homepage but It seems to be no buses to Saint Jean(or it could be homepage error.. ). I heard theres regular buses to Saint Jean... Anyone knows that bus is still available?

In winter no busses from Pamplona to SJPDP only busses to Roncesvalles and after taxi to SJPDP. It's better to start at Rocesvalles cause "route Napoléon " is closed

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I think the idea is that you spend an enjoyable evening in Pamplona and have sufficiently recovered by noon the following day to enjoy the bus ride

An option I have never considered because since I am walking through Pamplona a few days later anyway to enjoy the city and spend the night, it didn't seem worth the extra day. I was always eager to get to my starting point, SJPdP.
OTOH, I like Don's suggestion to possibly start in Pamplona, should I decide to walk the Frances again.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I edited my previous post on this thread to add the following taken from a previous post of mine on a different thread.

Roughly the ALSA/CONDA schedule for the pre-covid years has been:

Jan No service
Feb No service
Mar 14:30
Apr 14:30 17:30
May 14:30 17:30
Jun 10:00 14:30 17:30
Jul 10:00 12:00 14:30 17:30
Aug 10:00 12:00 14:30 17:30
Sep 10:00 14:30 17:30
Oct 14:30 17:30
Nov No service
Dec No service

Lately the service has been starting later in the year and ending sooner than it has been. Also the number of buses run per day has been less.

 

[frank rawley]

Hi. I'm looking for way to go from Pamplona to Saint Jean in 30 or 31th day in December 2022. I checked Alsa homepage but It seems to be no buses to Saint Jean(or it could be homepage error.. ). I heard theres regular buses to Saint Jean... Anyone knows that bus is still available?

Does anyone know what the cost of a taxi from Roncevalles to SJPDP would be?

 

[SabsP]

Does anyone know what the cost of a taxi from Roncevalles to SJPDP would be?

CONNEXIONS : PAMPELUNE- RONCEVAUX- SAINT-JEAN-PIED-DE-PORT

www.pamplona.es

 

[Ianinam]

Does anyone know what the cost of a taxi from Roncevalles to SJPDP would be?

Last year on April 16th and again on November 5th (when we had closed the big albergue) I paid € 48,00. The taxidriver who took me from Roncesvalles to SJPdP that day told me this was his last week, end of season, holidays. Express Bourricot (the backpack transport and also taxi services) had stopped their services a week earlier. So it could be a problem to get a taxi anyway. It is off season, for these people it is not possible to maintain all the normal services for just a handful of pelgrims on a daily base.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

So it could be a problem to get a taxi anyway. It is off season, for these people it is not possible to maintain all the normal services for just a handful of pelgrims on a daily base.

There was one other year long bus that pilgrims could take though meant for the locals. PLM bus line had a morning Tuesday and Friday bus going from Pamplona to Valcarlos and one of its barrios, Pekotxeta, a pleasant walk away from SJPdP following the Valcarlos camino variant in reverse. Pekotxeta is, essentially, Arnéguy, France; it would be one town if not separated by a small river serving as the border. You could start walking to Santiago from either Valcarlos or Pekotxeta or instead head to SJPdP to spend some time exploring it.

PLM was bought out by Jimenez and I can't find this route on their website. A couple of queries got me no answers about whether this is still run or not.

 

[dkarp]

Unfortunately, that was not the case in 2022. ALSA offered a single daily connection for Pamplona to SJPP throughout the pilgrimage season from April to October, leaving daily at noon and arriving at 1:45 pm in SJPP IIRC.

Anyway, I mentioned this year's publication date (middle of March for schedule from April 1) because there are likely to be more questions in the coming weeks about buses from Pamplona to SJPP in January, February and March 2023 so that people are aware of the fact that they may have to be patient before they know departure times and ticket prices for their upcoming Camino.

Is this the correct site for ALSA? ALSA.com

 

[trecile]

Is this the correct site for ALSA? ALSA.com

Yes

Wherever you want to go - Alsa

Buy bus tickets at the best price. At Alsa we offer bus rental, travel deals, on-board services and information on routes and schedules.

www.alsa.com